Apparatus for locking ignition timers



Aug. 25,-1931. H. E. NQRVIEL 15820243 APPARATUS FOR LOCKING IGNITIONTIMERS Filed March 29, 1928 L i liff JUNITED STATES Patented Aug. 25,1931 NT oFFlcE v TIONQOF DAYTON, OHIO, A CRPOIRQAIIIION` 0F DELAWAREAPPARATUS Fon. LOCKINGV IGNIrIoNTIMERs Application led'March 29, 19,28.Serial No. 265,756.

i' This yinventionrelates kto apparatus for preventing theft orunauthorized useof anx automotivevehicle, and more particularly tokeycontrolled apparatus for preventing the functioning of the ignitiontimer of the engine which propels the vehicle and for preventing accessto the ignition timer in order toy defeat the purpose of the theftpreventing device. By means of the presentinvention `ml aim to simplifythe construction of and reduce the cost of manufacture of anti-theftdevices of thetype referred to.

Further objects and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had tothe.accompanying-drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of one formofthe present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view partly in section of an ignition timer/and showingva fragment of a flexible armor which encloses a key controlledmovablemember for disabling the ignitiontimer. c f v I Fig. 2 isalongitudinal sectional view of a i key operated mechanism for moving thetimer disabling member shown in Fig. l. y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, and shows inaddition thereto a 3Q sectionalview of the ignition distributor.

of Fig. 1. A* i Fig. 5 isa sectional view on the line 5 5 `of Fig. 3Q yi y Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig.. y3.1

r The ignition `timer to whichthe present inventi'on applies comprises acup-shaped housing ortimer cup 20 which supports byv screws l`4 0 2labreaker lever bracket 2 2 having ears 23 throughy which the screws 21pass.y The r bracket22 supports astud 24 around which a ybreakerlever 25and a,-stationary'contact bracket 26 are concentrically pivoted. The

i5 lever 25 carries a rubbing block 27 adapted contact 29 engageablewith a relatively sta tionary Contact 30 carried by the bracket 26 whichis clamped in adjusted position relative tothe plate 22 by-screw 3lwhich passes through an arcuate slot 32 and threadedly engages` thebracket 2,2.l Arivet 33 secures the rubbing block 27 to the lever 25 andalso secures one end of a leaf spring conductor 34 tothe lever 25. Theother end of the leaf spring conductor 34 is attached to av terminalbolt 35which is insulatingly supported by the housing 20. The conductor34 urges thev contact29 towards the contact 3() and the rubbing block 27toward the cam 28. Y Obviously rotation of the cam 28 causes the timercontacts 29 and 30 to be intermittently l HAnn EQ'NoRvIEI., o FANDERSON, INDIANA, lAssIefNonI rro manco-REMY conPoRA- which isrotatably *i by the cooperation of the ignition timerdescribed and asuitable coil not shown are ,dis-

tributedby a distributing segment 40 mount block 41 supported by andedon a; rotor 28. AThe segment 40v rodriven by the cam tatespastdistributing post 41 which are in-k tegral with sockets 42 embeddedin thedistributor-head of molded insulating material 43. The head 43carries ay center cable receiv' ing socket 44 -electricallyiconnectedwith a center button 45c engaged Iby a rotor button 46 connected by aleaf spring conductor-37 with the segment r40. As shown in Fig. 3 thedistributor head 43 is supported by the timer housing 20 and is securedtheretor in any suitable manner. In order to prevent timer by a thief orunauthorized person,

access to the ignition the circuit interrupter is covered by a coverplate received within the timer cup 20 and provided with a centeropening 5l to permit the cani 28 to extend into the space within thedistributor' head 43. The cover plate 50 is provided with downwardlyextending lugs and 53 provided with notches 54 and 55 respectively. Thenotch 54 is adapted to receive a stud 5G permanently attached to thehousing 20. The lug 52 is removably attached to the housing 2O by ascrew 57. It is apparent that upon removal of the screw 57 the cover'plate 50 can be removed from the timer by first turning` it so that lug52 will move in the direction of the arrow 58 in Fig. 5 in order thatthe lug 52 will be clear of the stud 56.

In order to prevent removal of the cover 50 from the cover I provide akey actuated mechanism which will prevent the turning of the plate 50 inthe manner referred to and which will also disable the circuitinterruptor by preventing the engagement of the timer contacts29and 30.'This key actuated mechanism comprises a key receiving cylinder or shaft60 which is turned by the proper' key and which is rotatably supportedby key barrel 61 carried by a disc 62 permanently attached to a hardmetal housing 63. The key shaft 60 operates a screw threaded member 64which cooperates with a. nut 65 attached to a wire 66. The nut 65 isprevented from turning by providing it with a iiange 67 which is notchedto receive a lug 68 extending from the disc 62. The wire 66 passesthrough a swivelly jointed hard metal armor 7 O, its end joint 71 beingswivelly connected with the housing 63 and the other end joint 72 beingpermanently connected with a hard metal sleeve 73 having a flange 74permanently attached to a locking bolt member 75 which is slidablyguided by recess 76 in the armor joint member 72. spring 77 tends tourge the bolt 75 into the position shown in Fig. 3.

j The bolt 75 occupies the position shown in Fig. 3 when the timer isunlocked and is in condition for operation to provide ignition for theengine. The shank portion 78 of the bolt 75 is slightly less in diameterthan the narrower part of the notch which is included between the edges55a of the lug 53. The enlarged portion 79 of the ybolt 75 is greater indiameter than the distance be- Y tween the edges 55a and is but slightlyless in diameter than the wider or circular part 555 of the notch 55.Therefore when the bolt 75 occupies the position shown in Fig. 3 thecover 50 may be turned in a counter clockwise direction as viewed inFig. l in order that the lug 53 may be moved as indicated by the arrow8O in Fig. 4 in order that the lug 53 may clear the bolt 75. But if thebolt 75 is moved toward the left as viewed in y, Fig. 3 so that itsportion79 will be received e* by the notched portion 555 of the lug 53,the

'port-ion of the lever 25.

cover 50 cannot be turned into position for removal from the timer.

IVhen the portion 7 9 of the bolt 75 is moved into position for lockingthe cover 50 against rotation, a iange 8l provided by the bolt 75 willengage an arm 82 which extends from the lever 25, and will prevent thelever 25 from moving under the action of the spring 34 into suchposition as to cause the Contact 29 to engage the contact 30. As viewedin Fig. 3, the arm 82 is U-shaped in cross Section and one of its sidesor branches 82a is attached to the lever 25 by the rivet 33. As shown inFig. 6 the branch 82a of the arm 82 is bent over at 825 of the webportion 25a of the lever 25, the lever being also U-shaped orchannel-shaped in cross section as viewed in F ig. 3. In this way asingle rivet attaches the arm 82 to the lever 25 and the arm 82 isprevented from turning simply by bending a portion of it indicated at825 against a As shown in Fig. 4 the portion 825 of the arm 82 isprovided with a notch 83 which receives the portion 84 of the lockingbolt 75. This notch is of course less in diameter than the fiange 8l ofthe bolt.

To stop the engine by turning 0H the ignition, the car driver turns thelock shaft or cylinder byy a suitable key in a counter'- clockwisedirection as viewed in the direction of the arrow 60a in Fig. 2. rIhisWill cause the nut to move toward the left in order to move the bolt 75toward the left as viewed in Figs. l and 2. The portion 79 of thelocking bolt 75 will move within the circular recessed portion 555 inthe lug 53 of the plate 50 and the fla-nge 8l of the bolt 75 will moveagainst the portion 820 of the arm 82 in order to prevent the closing ofthe interrupt/er contacts 29 and 30. In this way the ignition isdiscontinued and the engine stopped and the cover plate 50 is locked inposition so that. tampering with the ignitiontimer is substantiallyinterfered with. To turn on the ignition, the key cylinder 60 is turnedin a clockwise direction, as viewed in the direction of the arrow 60a inFig.v 2, thereby permitting the spring 77 to be released in order tomove the bolt 7 5 into the position shown in Fig. 3, so that theignition timer is permitted to operate in the normal way and so that thecover may be removed in case it is necessary to obtain access to thetimer mechanism. j

In assembling the timer and theft preventing device the separateassembly of the parts shown in Fig. 2 is made and the end of the wire 66and the joint 72 of the armor 70 are passed through the sleeve 73,y thesprinfr 77 being in position within the bore 76 ofD the part 72. Beforethe interrupter mechanism is located within the housing 20 the bolt 75is placed within the housing 20 and then is screw threadedly attached tothe wire or ilo - comprising,

rod 66. After the interrupter has been assembled as shown, the bolt 75is adjusted relative to the wire by turning the bolt in order that theparts 81 and 79 thereof will be properlyr located.

Thearmor joint member 72 is permanently attached to the sleeve 73 afterthe assembly has been made by forcing into notches 90 provided in thejoint member 7 2 one or more lugs or tangs 91 integral with the sleeve7,3 and formed by partly shearing away portions of the sleeve. f

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitutes a` preferred form, it that other forms might beadopted, Vall coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Apparatus for locking an ignition timer in combination, a housing, acircuit interrupter in the housing, a cover for the housing randprovided a notch including narrow and wide portions, a locking bolthaving a shank portion receivable by bothportions of the notch andhaving an enlargedyportion receivable only by the larger portion of thenotch whereby edgewise movement of the cover is prevented when theenlarged portion of the bolt is received by the larger portion of thenotch, means cooperating with the locking bolt and interrupter to f'prevent functioning of the interrupter, and

notch, parts carried by the housing and controlled means for operatingthe bolt. Apparatus for locking an ignition timer a housing, a circuitinterrupter in the housing, a cover for the housing and provided withtwo lugs eX- tending into the housing and each having a ceived by thenotches of the lugs when the key 2.

cover isturned relative to the housing, one of f said parts being alocking bolt supported byk l sa said partsbeing a locking bolt supportedby thehousing, means and bolt'for preventing the turning of the coverwhen the bolt is in a certain position, means cooperating with thelocking bolt and interrupter to prevent functioning of the interrupter,and key controlled means for operating the bolt.'

3. Apparatus for locking an ignition timer comprising, incombination, ahousing, a circuit interrupter in the housing, ay cover for the housingand provided with two lugs eX- tending intol the housing and each havinga notch, parts carried by the housing and received bythe notches of thelugs when the cover is turned relative t0 the housing, one of thehousing, the cover lug which receives the locking bolt having its notch'so shaped as to provide relative wide and narrow portions, the wideportion receiving only an enlarged portion of the locking bolt wherebythe cover is prevented from turning when the bolt is is to beunderstood.

with a lug havingk tion extending throu vrupter inoperative,

for preventing intermittent 4movement of the movableinterruptermemberand including ,L

a movable locking bolt, a cover for Athe housing, means cooperating.with the'locking bolt and cover toV prevent turning the cover whenmounted yupon the housing, means for fastening the cover to the housingand'requiring the cover to be turned before it can be removed, nil keycontrolled means for operating the o t. 5. Apparatus for locking anignition timer comprising, in combination, an interrupter having acircuit breaker lever provided with an arm attached directly thereto, alocking bolt engageable with saidlever arm to prevent movement of thelever to close and open the ignition circuit, a housing enclosing thelocking bolt and circuit interrupter, a cover for the housing, meanscooperating with the locking bolt and cover to prevent removal of thecover when Lthe bolt is in position to prevent functioning of thelever,'an'd key controlled means for operating the locking bolt. 6. In adistributor, an interrupter, means for preventing the interrupter fromclosing,

said interrupter and means being'enclosed in a metal casing, and a coverfor said casing which is removable when said means is in a position toallow said interrupter to close, said cover and means havinginterengaging portions which prevent the cover being moved to a positionfrom which it can be removed from the casing when said means is in aposition to prevent the interrupter from closing. provided by the cover7. The distributor according to claim 6 characterized by the distributorshaft extending through openings in said casing and cover, and adistributor brush carried by the ortion extending through said cover.

8. The distributor according to claim 6 characterized by the distributorshaft eXtending through openings in said casing and cover, a distributorbrush carried by the por- 'gh said cover, and an insulating distributorcase enclosing the whole.

9. In a distributor, an interrupter, a metal ycasing enclosing saidinterrupter and having an integral metal tube leading thereto forming alateral passage, and means lying partly for rendering said inter- A saidmeans being sepawithin said passage rately assembled and inserted intosaid passage.

1 0. In a distributor, an interrupter` a metal casing enclosing saidinterrupter and having ,'10 a housing, a .cir-

a lateral passage7 and means lying partly Within said passage' forrendering said intel*- rupter inoperative, said means being separatelyassembled and inserted into said pas- 8 sage', said means including alongitudinally movable member operable by a lock tumbler, and a flexiblemember connecting said member and the movable part of said means lying Ipartly Within said passage.

Y Intestimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature'.

HARRY E.- NORVIEL.

